Summer Storm
by NeverWonder
Summary: A summer weekend planned by Noah Puckerman puts Finn and Rachel in the same cabin; one night Rachel's fear of thunderstorms brings them closer than they've ever been before.
1. Chapter 1

"See, I told you this place was fucking awesome." Noah Puckerman was gloating as they walked up from the parking lot. "Lake front cabins, easy access to the pool, and a restaurant included. It only cost us what, fifty bucks a person?"

"Yeah yeah, Puck, you're the man." Quinn gave him a playful shove. "I don't want to know how you got the deal, and I sure as hell don't want to what you told them to get them to rent the cabins to us."

Finn was too busy counting the number of couples and cabins to pay attention to the fact that his best friend and ex-girlfriend were flirting and laughing ahead of him. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before, but suddenly it was dawning on him. This 'weekend at the lake' summer trip was looking way too couply for him; a cabin for each couple, and even Kurt and Blaine and Mercedes and Matt had their own place for the weekend. When Rachel came trotting up by him, shouting something about Puck and his stupid ideas, he realized that at some point he'd somehow been tricked into sharing a cabin with his petite ex-girlfriend. It didn't help that he was completely and utterly still in love with her. Puck was telling her to shut it, explaining that he could care less about the emotional idiocy of Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson, but Finn was beginning to suspect otherwise. A lot had changed over the last few months, and even Puck had begun to show that he had some interest in the happiness of his friends.

"Get your panties out of a knot, Berry. Each of the cabins has separate bedrooms; you don't have to share a bed with Stretch." Puck was laughing, and Finn narrowed his eyes, quickening his step to catch up with the group.

"Noah! Noah, you lied to me. You said…" She was cute when she was angry, and right now she was like a tiny pit bull.

"I did not. I simply told you we were having a glee weekend at the lake. You chose to assume that it would completely chaste and family friendly; I simply let you assume."

Rachel huffed, and he had to bite back a laugh. The cabins were tiny, which explained the discount to some extent, and when they reached them, everyone split off quickly to get settled into their weekend homes. He could hear Rachel singing to herself in her bedroom, and he wanted to peek in to find out what had her in such a good mood suddenly. But he'd made himself promise not to go near that bedroom. It was bad enough that he was tormented by images of the tiny brunette on a daily basis lately; he didn't need the added thought of Rachel in bed, which lead to Rachel naked in bed, flushed and moaning his name. When they'd passed the pool all he could think of was Rachel Berry sunning herself in a bikini, letting him rub lotion all over her body while his hands slipped into places she'd never let him touch now that they were no longer a couple. Of course, he'd always loved summertime Rachel because she exchanged sweaters for tank tops and lost the cardigans over her strapless dresses, but summertime Rachel was also more relaxed and carefree, unconcerned with grades or bullies or school. Staring out the window, he sighed softly; the sun was already setting, and the colors splashed across the sky tinted the clouds. He imagined Rachel would be staring at it by now.

Moments later, he saw Rachel headed toward the restaurant, linking arms with Tina and Mercedes, and he paused. The little brunette was wearing a new skirt, from what he could tell, and it was so not typical Rachel. A tight jean skirt that only reached mid thigh, topped with a zip up hoodie and flip flops, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her dressed so relaxed, and her laughter carried across the area. A lot had changed in the past months, like Rachel finally having friends in glee. He was glad; it had been hard for him to be friends with her after the break up, and she'd seemed so lonely most of the time. He missed her, missed being with her so much it hurt, but Rachel had seemed adamant about not getting back together until they had, in her words, grown up some. _Fuck that_. He'd thought, but Rachel was Rachel, and there was no arguing with her. Besides, he'd brought almost all of this on himself when he chose to be an absolute ass back in February. This was his punishment, and he knew it. With a sigh, he grabbed his jacket and headed out of the small cabin for dinner, looking forward to at least having a relaxing evening before he dealt with the difficulty of sleeping with Rachel Berry just a few feet away.

There was only one empty seat at the massive table they were sharing, and it was right next to Rachel, who was sipping a milkshake and chatting with Kurt about some musical that she'd gotten to see over spring break. He'd almost forgotten that she had switched from vegan to vegetarian, allowing herself dairy as long as it wasn't in excess, until he found himself watching her wrap her lips around a straw in a chocolate strawberry milkshake. He missed her lips, and the recollection of the last time he'd kissed her was painful. That was the moment he chose to let destroy his relationship. She looked up at him and smiled, and he instantly regretted almost all his decisions from that day forward. Lying to Rachel about sleeping with Santana had been dumb, but continuing to lie, and then treating her like she was irrational and foolish when she found out had been the most idiotic move possible. He'd driven her to Puck and then punished her for it repeatedly, when he should've been apologizing and groveling.

He glanced over at Quinn and Puck, who looked like a normal couple for the first time in what seemed like forever; Quinn was laughing at whatever crass joke Puck had told, and he had his arm around her holding her to his side. They were happy, and it was real. Finn regretted more than anything that whole kissing booth fiasco; kissing Quinn, convincing her to cheat on Sam, and then the two of them dating because it was easier than being alone. Sure, that whole being on top of the food chain thing had been great, but it had all been so fake. Making out with her just made him miss making out with Rachel, and the lack of slushies hadn't been worth the hurt on Rachel's face when it seemed like he chose Quinn over her again. Fuinn Revisited had only lasted a month and a half, and the fight that exploded when he told her it wasn't going to work reminded him of how much he missed what was real.

"_We can't keep doing this, Q. It's fake, and I'm sick of the lie of it all." He told her when he met her after practice._

"_What? Are you stupid or something?" Quinn's biting remark made him wonder why she was only this rude to him; she hadn't treated Puck like this._

"_I'm tired of the fake relationship; it's stupid. We're pretending to be the golden couple, but neither of us means it." He sighed. "You don't love me, and I sure as hell don't love you. I'm tired of lying."_

"_You really are an idiot. We've got it all; we get to be in glee and still run the school. You want to throw it away because you don't _feel_ anything?"_

"_Face it, Q. You think I'm an idiot, and you treat me like a trophy at parties, and then push me around and don't want anything to do with me." He shook his head. "Can't you see how ridiculous it is? And I know you think about Puck more than you think about me. You stare at him in glee, and you think I don't know. Why don't you just go back to him?"_

"_I've told you…"_

"_What? Because of his reputation? Because you have to be sweet pure Quinn and you can't have someone like him attached to you? Fuck Q, don't you see how stupid that is? That's a shitty way to treat someone who cares about you."_

"_Shut up, Finn, just shut up."_

"_No! For once I'm not going to let you tell me what to do. I'm not going to keep dating you just because it's easier that way. I'm not going to walk around pretending we are Mr. and Mrs. Clean Cut All American so that you can keep up appearances. I'm done."_

"_So what, you're breaking up with me? Is this over Rachel? Because she moved on, Finn, you aren't going to get the girl back now. You lost her, Finn, and it's time you got over her."_

"_It's not about her. It's about how I'm through pretending." She rolled her eyes and acted as though he was being ridiculous. "Come on, Quinn, neither one of us is happy. What's the point?"_

"_Whatever, Finn. We break up, and then what?"_

"_Nothing. We just go back to being normal. And maybe you can give Puck a second glance." The withering glare from Quinn, followed by a storm out, signified the end of Fuinn Revisited, and all he could think was 'thank Cheesus'_

At least something good had come of it; Quinn finally let Puck have the chance he deserved, and they were happy. A waitress came by to take their orders, and Finn was brought back from memory lane. He ordered a burger and fries and returned his attention to the table. There was an animated conversation going on about how placing second at Nationals was leaps and bounds above not getting out of Regionals last year, and Rachel seemed particularly happy that they'd stomped the hell out of Vocal Adrenaline with Jesse watching at Regionals. Mercedes commented that she thought they'd lost Nationals with the duet, pointing out rather bluntly that it was missing something special, and Puck agreed. He thought he was going to say that he and Quinn should've done the duet instead of Finn and Rachel, but instead he remarked that the duet was missing the passion of "Faithfully". Finn winced, though he knew they were right. A glance a Rachel confirmed that she felt the same way. Someone called for a subject change, easing the tension.

It was comfortable, idly chatting with the various glee members, and since he'd gotten to know Blaine, he enjoyed talking to him about football and sports. Finn and Blaine were in the middle of a conversation about baseball, and Rachel was picking fries off his plate the way she did when they had first begun dating. He smiled slightly, hoping that this was some kind of sign that maybe they could start fresh. But he wasn't going to push the issue with her. He noticed that she was still wearing the necklace he'd given her in February, and that gave him a little more hope.

"Fuck!" Puck swore loudly when he spotted the rain out the window of the cabin he shared with Quinn. "This better not last all weekend."

They were all gathered in their cabin, and a crazy game of never have I ever had ensued, lasting until 11 PM. No alcohol was involved for a change; Puck had forgotten, and no one complained. It was strange to see Rachel and Santana laughing at the same secret joke, and Finn found himself wondering what they were giggling about. Santana said something about not hiding it forever, which caused Rachel to throw a pillow at her, and his curiosity was definitely peaked. Now Puck wanted his cabin back, and he was serious about kicking them out, rain or not. After a lot of moaning and growing, the group started to disperse, taking off in the rain toward their own cabins. Finn followed Rachel out of the cabin and into the rain, trotting along beside her in an effort to protect her from the cold water that was seeping through their clothes.

"Here Rach, get under my jacket before you get soaked." He held up his hooded sweatshirt so that she could move closer and be a little drier.

"I'm fine, Finn. Don't worry about me." Sometimes her independence felt more like a rejection, and it stung like a bitch. "Thank you though."

"But…" He tried to convince her to let him shield her, but she shook her head.

"It'll be much faster, and we'll be much drier." Rachel's matter-of-fact tone told him not to argue with her, and he watched the tiny girl race through the rain toward the cabin.

Luckily they had managed to snag a cabin just a one down from the one where Puck and Quinn were staying, but luck didn't prevent the rain from falling much harder and soaking them to the bone. Rachel made it inside first, and when he stepped into the warmth of their cabin, he heard her declare that she was going to get out of her wet clothes and into the shower, promising that she would leave him some hot water for his shower. Suddenly an image of Rachel allowing him to slowly strip away her wet clothes and kiss each inch of skin as it was revealed flashed through his mind, followed by her asking him to join her in the shower; he knew he shouldn't fantasize about her like that, especially when she was just a few feet away in the shower, but he kept thinking about how damned sexy she was and how amazing it would be to make love to her in the shower. For a second his hand slid down to his growing erection as he contemplated relieving his arousal, but then he remembered that Rachel might stick her head in at any moment to tell him that he could shower. He couldn't let her catch him rubbing one out and moaning her name.

"Finn…" It was ten minutes later, and Rachel was standing in his door, wrapped in a towel. "The shower is open. I'm headed to bed."

"Thanks Rach." He had to literally rip his eyes away from her body; all he could think about was that she had nothing on under that towel, and he wanted her to drop it so that he could see all of her. "Good night."

The bathroom smelled like strawberries and vanilla, and it was so very Rachel; he breathed deeply as the steam surrounded him, and he almost hated to cover up her scent with the smell of his own shampoo. As he glanced around the room, he noticed that she left her things in neat tidy rows on the counter, and he couldn't help but imagine what it might be like to live with her. As usual, all roads led to an image of Rachel, and damn it if this one wasn't particularly inviting. Living with Rachel meant having her all to himself, and having Rachel in his arms every night was something he dreamed about all the time these days, which was dumb because she still seemed dead set on being apart. As he finally stepped into the shower, he closed his eyes and let the water run over his body; the images of Rachel flashed through his mind, one after another as he showered. For months after the break up all he could see when he closed his eyes was Puck and Rachel, his hands tangled in her dark hair and all over her tiny beautiful body, and it made him want to put his fist through Puck's face. Then one night he was laying in his bed and when he closed eyes there was just Rachel, smiling up at him, standing on her toes to kiss him, running her tiny fingers through his hair, resting her head on his chest, and letting him touch her. After that, she was always there in his dreams, and he started to see her when she wasn't even there. He saw her at basketball games when he knew she wouldn't go, and he saw her in some fast food restaurant she'd never step foot in because the smell of greasy meat turned her stomach. He was pretty sure it wasn't normal to miss someone that much.

By the time he got out of the shower, the rain had turned into a full-fledged storm, and he could hear the rain hitting the windows as the wind picked up outside. He wrapped a towel tightly around his waist and hurried down the hall to his bedroom; a loud clap of thunder shook the cabin, and he frowned, recalling that Rachel was terrified of thunderstorms. A quick look in Rachel's room revealed the petite girl curled up under the blankets, hugging her pillow; he thought he saw her shaking, but when he said her name she simply murmured that she was fine and dismissed him as if she didn't need him. It stung like a bitch, and he was glad that she couldn't see the way he winced in the darkness of her room. He missed the way she used to need him and the way she'd run to him when she was afraid or worried. He missed being able to hold her and make her feel better. Her dismissal felt like a bitter rejection, and he bit his lip, whispering good night to her before heading to his room. Quickly digging out a pair of boxers from his bag, he tugged them on and threw himself on the bed; it was still thundering when he finally drifted off to sleep, trying not to think about Rachel and how much he missed her and how much he hated that she no longer needed him and how much he wanted to be with her.

A bright flash of lightning followed by a loud crash of thunder shook him awake, and through blurry vision he thought he saw Rachel standing in the doorway to his room. At first he was convinced that he was still asleep because there was no way in hell that Rachel Berry was standing there wearing nothing but a football jersey that reached her knees. There was another flash of lightning, and he could see that she had kept the jersey she'd worn in the game, probably because no one would ever be small enough to wear it; the following crash of thunder made her jump and squeak, and it would've been adorable and hilarious if he hadn't known just how scared she actually was.

"Rach?" His voice was slightly gravelly, and he barely sat up in bed. "Are you ok?"

"Storm…" She didn't speak above a whisper.

"I know. You can curl up here if you'll feel better." He patted the bed, and when she hesitated he simply lifted an eyebrow. "I promise I won't try anything, Rach. I won't even touch you. I'll even sleep on top of the covers."

"Finn, I don't…" But she was already walking across the floor, and she sat on the edge of the bed. "Just for the night, y'know, because of the storm. Promise you won't…"

"Come on, Rach, you know me better than that." He wondered how serious her concern actually was, and he hoped she was joking; she had to know by now that he wasn't the kind of asshole who took advantage of girls.

She crawled into bed, careful not to touch him, and curled up tightly under the blankets; true to his word, he kept on his side of the bed, stretched out on his back, and he tried to go back to sleep. It was way easier said than done; his mind raced with thoughts of the girl next to him, and he couldn't help but think about the fact that she was wearing almost nothing and she was in his bed. A quick glance at Rachel told him she was already asleep, and his eyes finally closed. He was half asleep, almost afraid to let himself fall completely asleep because he knew he'd dream of her, when it happened; the storm outside had died down some, and it was only raining hard instead of all the thunder and lightning. He felt a shift on the bed, and his eyes slowly opened to what seemed like the most vivid dream ever. She was hovering over him, her lips centimeters from his, and she had moved so that when she leaned back she would be sitting on his thighs. He was almost afraid to touch her, afraid that if he did he would wake up and she'd simply be curled up in the bed next to him sleeping. He opened his mouth to speak, but her lips captured his in a soft kiss. There was no way in hell this was actually happening, but it was a great dream. Her teeth caught his bottom lip, tugging it gently, and he let out a moan, breaking the silence in the room.

Rachel sat up, her eyes meeting his, and he couldn't help but stare at her; the jersey had bunched up slightly, and he could see the soft olive color of her thigh against his skin. He sat up slowly, still convinced that this could not be real. She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, reaching for his hands, and he blinked furiously as she placed them on the hem of the jersey; the sudden realization that she wasn't wearing anything but a pair of panties underneath it hit him like a Mac truck. His breath hitched, and he was embarrassed by the way his hands were shaking; he hoped that she didn't notice when he grasped the hem, pulling it up and over her head. Her eyes were closed, and he found himself staring again, this time at Rachel Berry sitting on his thighs wearing nothing but a pair of little boy short panties with stars on them. He couldn't help but think about how undeniably Rachel they were, and he could feel himself growing more aroused by the minute. And then he saw it, glittering against her skin, she had a little gold star at her navel; so that's what Santana had been giggling about earlier. She had gotten her navel pierced, and it was so unlike her but at the same time it was the sexiest thing in the world. That must've been where the girls went that night after they placed second at Nationals. He reached out a gently brushed it with his fingertip, feeling her sharp intake of breath, and he swallowed thickly, trying to maintain control.

When her eyes opened, they found him staring, and he let his gaze rise to her face; suddenly he was lost in her dark eyes, trying to figure out just what she was doing there, until she reached for his hands again, silently giving him permission to touch her. God, he wanted to touch her everywhere at once, and for a moment he didn't know where to begin. This was nothing like that horrible fiasco with Santana, which had left him feeling sick and empty, and while he's seen enough on Skinemax to know the basics, being faced with a real life nearly naked Rachel Berry was another story. He desperately needed to make this perfect for her. His hands slid up her sides gently until his huge hands covered her breasts completely, and she arched to him with a moan. He'd heard her moan before, when they were making out, but this was different. It was like she hit a different note, and had he not been completely focused on not exploding in his boxers he would've been reminded of how proud she'd be that he was getting better at hearing notes.

She moved forward, until the warmth of her center brushed his tented boxers, and he let out another moan; gently, he let his hands caress her breasts, thumbs brushing her nipples and basking in the way she tenses and gasped in delight with each touch. Her hips rocked, and it was his turn to tense; suddenly her fingers were tracing over his chest, making his muscles tighten, and traveling lower and lower until they were brushing the waistband of his boxers. He desperately wanted her to go lower, and she seemed to sense it, her hips bucking into his until he could feel the warm moisture on her panties on the fabric of his boxers. His hips lifted, grinding against her until her head fell back and she moaned loudly; he shifted his weight, carefully rolling them over until she was beneath him, her small body covered by his, and he fit perfectly between her open legs like they were made to fit together. Later he'd swear that was exactly how it worked. His lips moved over her neck, making her shiver, and he rocked his hips, pressing his rigid length against her center and drawing another gentle moan from her lips.

"Rach…" He groaned her name as her hips bucked, and all he could think about was that thin fabric separated him from her; oh god how he wanted to buried within her, completely one with Rachel.

She captured his lips, her fingers raking through his hair, and her eyes fell closed; his tongue slid past her lips, exploring her mouth and reveling in the taste of her. Kissing her was just as he remembered; even the slightest contact with her lips sent a shockwave through him. He let his fingers ghost down her sides, and when they reached her hips he pulled her up against him, feeling her moans against his mouth; her hands slid down his body in response, moving down to cup his painfully hard erection and ripping a moan from his throat. He savored her touch, and she tugged at his lower lip with her teeth, soothing it with her tongue as her fingers hooked the waist band of his boxers and tugged down. Reluctantly his mouth left hers as he lifted his body to finish removing them, and when he lowered himself back between her legs he nearly lost it; the warm dampness of her panties against the bare skin of his erection reminded him of just how close he was to her, to being inside her. She bucked her hips, and he moaned her name, imagining her hot tight heat surrounding him. He had to back off to keep from exploding, an image of the mailman flooding his mind.

"So damn beautiful… oh god Rachel…" He gazed down at the petite woman beneath him, because after tonight he could only see her as a woman, her face flushed, her lips parted and swollen, eyes full of love and lust and pure need.

He'd dreamed of this moment a million times, and yet, he was still terrified. This had to be perfect for her, and he would never forgive himself if he screwed it up. Kissing down her neck, he nibbled her skin softly, feeling her move on the bed beneath him; without thinking, he latched on to the juncture between her neck and shoulder, nipping and sucking until he left a small mark, and when he realized what he'd done, he whispered an apology, expecting her to pull away from him or that he was going to wake up from whatever this dream was. But instead she simply let out a gasp and trembled beneath him, which he took as encouragement to continue. She was letting out these tiny little whimpers as he kissed over her chest, his lips enveloping a nipple; he reveled in the taste of her skin, sucking gently as she gasped and moaned. His fingers rolled her other nipple, tweaking it gently until she was writhing on the bed; when she let out a moan that seemed loud enough that they could hear it across the lake, he let his lips drift lower until he found her navel. He felt her take a sharp breath as his lips brush the tiny gold star there, and he couldn't help but wonder what possessed her to get it in the first place; a whimper shook him from his thoughts, and he looked up at her with a small crooked smile as his fingers hooked into the waist band of her panties. Waiting until she was watching he tugged gently and her hips lifted from the bed to let him pull them down.

"God, Rach… do you know how gorgeous you are?" He sucked in a breath, staring down at her for a moment.

He wasn't sure when it hit him, but as he let his gaze travel over her body he realized that this was no dream; experimentally, he let a finger dip into her heat, drawing a moan from her lips, and closed his eyes. He knew the image of her naked beneath him, so warm and willing, needing him, would be burned in his mind forever, and he desperately want to prolong the moment; his finger slid along her entrance, and she moved on the bed again, her dark eyes meeting his. A second finger stroked her, growing slick with her moisture, and he couldn't resist bringing his fingers to his mouth to taste her. Her eyes widened as she watched him, and she pulled him down for a fierce kiss; it was his turn to be surprised as he felt her small hand wrapping around his length, stroking him gently before guiding him toward her entrance. It was all he could do not to lose it right then and there, and the mailman flashed before his eyes instinctively. He hesitated, unsure if she was really ready, but her hips lifted and let his tip slide into her. A low moan ripped from his throat, and he closed his eyes; it was so hot and slick and wet, and oh god it was all he'd dreamed about for so long.

"Rach? Rach, are you sure?" The question came out a husky whisper, and he couldn't believe he was even in the position to ask it.

"Finn… oh god, Finn… I _need_…" Her voice was breathless and soft, and it was colored by need that he'd never heard in her voice before; she was looking up at him with those big dark eyes, and he could swear she was looking directly into his soul. "Please…"

Her hands slid down his arms, and her tiny fingers twined with his; she squeezed his hands tightly as he slowly pushed forward, sucking in a breath at the tightness that surrounded him. Rachel let out a soft cry, and he slowed his movements to almost a stop, desperately trying not to hurt her; when her hips lifted, he let himself continue, his own moans joining hers. He kept his thrusts slow and smooth in an effort to maintain control, and her could feel her hips rotating slowly beneath him; she buried her face in his shoulder, her lips pressing to heated skin, and he closed his eyes. He found a steady rhythm, and Rachel whimpered some nonsense about god and drummers and his name. His hand slipped between them, locating her swollen clit, and he rubbed it in slow gentle circles, drawing moans that were almost more beautiful than any song from her lips. He wanted it to last forever and for her to come with him, but her reactions made it difficult; she was moving beneath him, her body pressed to his, and every now and then something inside her clenched. Her lips found the juncture where his neck met his shoulder, and she nipped and sucked at it; he knew there would be a mark there in the morning, and the sensation shot through him far too quickly for him to think of the mailman. His hips jerked once, twice, and then a third time before he released, and he felt her shudder beneath him; his fingers worked her clit firmly until she was moaning out his name and clinging to him, every part her small warm naked body pressing to him. When she finally relaxed, his eyes met hers, and she smiled up at him; she'd never looked so beautiful, or so he imagined, as she did in the afterglow of their union.

"Finn…" She whispered his name, though her eyes were falling closed, and she snuggled against him; before he could respond, she was already asleep.

"I love you, Rachel." He kissed the top of her head, his arms wrapping around her; he let himself drift off to sleep, breathing in the scent of strawberry and vanilla as he held her close.


	2. Chapter 2

Strong arms held her against a warm chest, and her eyes fluttered open; she was certain that this was a dream, a very vivid dream, and that any moment she was going to wake up to find that it never happened. As reality sank in, she forced herself to slip from his arms, leaning down to kiss his forehead gently; finding her shirt and panties, she slipped from the room quietly, hoping that she wouldn't wake him. A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the mirror, her fingers grazing the small red mark that Finn had left the night before; tears stung her eyes as she thought about it. She knew she shouldn't have gone to him the night before, but she'd been terrified of the storm; it wasn't that she regretted it, not exactly, but she knew they shouldn't have been intimate when they were no longer together. It was all her fault; she'd acted on impulse because he was there and warm and willing, and it was everything she'd dreamed of for so long. But they weren't together, and as far as she could tell, they were not going to be together again, not the way they were going. The night before had been a mistake, a beautiful mistake, and she couldn't decide whether the tears were because it happened or because it would never happen again.

"What a mess I've gotten myself into now." She whispered to no one in particular.

The sun was bright and streaming through the windows as she dressed, and she stood on the porch of the cabin looking over the smooth surface of the lake. For what seemed hours, she stood there, listening to the light wind and watching the water lap against the shoreline, until her thoughts caught up with her. It had been a long six months, and it had been a bit more difficult than she'd let on to most people. Only Kurt and Mercedes knew how much she'd missed him, how hard it had been for her to see him with Quinn; she'd kept it all to herself, guarding her heart and pretending like she was too strong to be hurt anymore. She'd been determined to remain single and independent, if only to prove to herself and the rest of the world that she didn't need Finn or any other man, which was why, when Jesse strolled back into her life, she'd insisted that they remain only friends. It had worked out fairly well, and she was happy. Well at least until she found out that he'd been a plant from the beginning, sent by her mother to manipulate her into that meeting. Discovering that the premise of her relationship with Jesse had been a lie, even if he claimed to have had genuine feelings, only strengthened her resolve to remain single, though a part of her desperately wanted to fall into Finn's arms and cry for hours. It had hurt worse that in the moment she felt like she needed him the most, he was leaned against his locker, kissing Quinn again. In the time they'd spent apart she'd begun to realize there was a difference between needing someone and becoming dependant on them. Sure she could get by on her own, and she liked to believe she was handling it very well; a part of her, a very large part of her, didn't want to be on her own anymore.

"It's only Friday…" She whispered to the wind, tears rolling down her face.

The smell of strawberries and vanilla and everything that was Rachel Berry enveloped him as he rolled over in bed, but the smile that seemed so permanently etched on his face fell when he found himself in bed alone. Her side of the bed was still warm, and he wondered how long she'd been gone. At first he had this terrible sinking sensation that he had simply dreamed it and that the night before never happened, but he was sure that wasn't the case. At 2 am, Rachel Berry had been in his bed, and they had made love. There was no way that what happened the night before could be classified as simply sex. Fuck Puckerman if he said that it made it him a pansy to think that way. But now she was gone, and he didn't know why; all he knew was that he wanted to put his arms around her and tell her that he loved her and kiss her. He whispered her name, as if that would somehow magically bring her back, and when it didn't he dragged himself from the bed, feeling around blindly for his boxers. He found himself staring into the mirror in the bedroom, a small smile playing across his lips as he recalled vividly the night before and what had happened. The small red mark she'd left on his skin was obvious, and there was no way to hide it.

He wanted to find her and tell her that the night before was like some kind of religious experience he wanted to repeat for the rest of his life; he wanted to tell her that he loved her and that he never wanted to be away from her again. But something in the back of his mind told him that trouble was brewing; the storm may have passed the night before, but there was a new one rising. He needed to talk to her; he'd come this far, and he couldn't lose her again. He yanked a t-shirt over his head and tugged on a pair of shorts; his stomach rumbled, but for once whether or not he was going to eat soon was the farthest thing from his mind. Pausing just long enough to tie his shoes he raced out of the room, hoping that she wasn't already on her way to breakfast. Stepping out onto the porch, he saw her, her back to the cabin, and he could swear that he heard her sniffling. It broke his heart to know that she was crying, and somehow he felt as if it was entirely his fault. He wanted desperately to pull her into his arms and comfort her; he wanted to fix things. But something told him that he'd somehow rebroken her heart, if it had ever really mended.

"Rach?" He whispered her name, reaching out to touch her shoulder, and the way she pulled away stung.

"Don't, Finn. Please don't." Her voice cracked, and she didn't turn around. "I _can't_… I'm sorry…"

"Rachel… Rachel, please, can we just talk?"

Before he could say another word, the petite brunette was running away, which hurt even more because Rachel Berry never ran away from anything, and Finn was left standing alone; he didn't understand what she meant. Or maybe he did but it made less sense because last they were doing something a whole lot more than talking, and that has to mean something, right?

"_He chose me, Manhands, and he will always choose me." The words cut like a knife, bringing tears to her eyes. "He chose me instead of you after what I did to him. He's staying here with me, and you get the broken heart."_

"_It's not true. It's not over yet." She didn't know why she kept fighting. "I'm not giving up on him. He'll see."_

"_What he sees is the girl who knew just how to hurt him and used it against him. What he'll keep seeing is the fact that you broke his heart and you did it on purpose." Quinn snapped. "Face it, RuPaul, I win, you lose because it turns out you were just as bad as I was."_

"_You think what I did to Finn was so terrible? What about what you did to Noah? You led him on, let him get attached to a daughter he was never going to have. You treated him like he was nothing. He was good enough to sneak around with, but he wasn't good enough to be on your arm. He wasn't good enough for you to love. You are so full of yourself, Quinn Fabray. And you are kidding yourself if you think that you are innocent. Sure, I'm terrible for cheating, but at least I came clean. At least I've never made Finn feel like he wasn't good enough for me. At least I've never made him feel like he was someone I'm ashamed of."_

"_None of that matters, Rachel." The use of her first name threw her, and she stopped to stare. "None of it matters because Finn is on top again, where he belongs, where we belong, and you know what that means. It means that he no longer needs you; he no longer has to settle for you. So the story is: I get Finn and we stay together. You get no one, and you go off to New York. Finn belongs with me, and you don't belong here."_

"_How can you be such a cold bitch?" Rachel never swore, and the word shocked her just as much as it shocked Quinn; she had to keep going. "How can you be such a horrible person? You are using Finn for that stupid crown. You are using him, and maybe he doesn't even know it yet. You will destroy him, Quinn. You will take everything that makes Finn Hudson who he is, the talent, the hope, the dreams, the life, and you will crush them. But you don't even give a damn. You will destroy him, and for what? Your own security?"_

"_How dare you talk to me like that? How dare you?" Rachel never flinched, her eyes meeting Quinn's despite the tears that burned them. "Nothing will change the facts, Berry."_

"_You will destroy Finn Hudson, just so you can be secure and popular." Rachel's words hung in the air, and she turned on her heel, escaping as the tears finally began to pour down her cheeks._

Why even seeing Quinn brought back that memory, Rachel didn't know; after all shortly after Fuinn 2.0 dissolved, Quinn went right back to Puck. Rachel liked to believe that she was responsible for reminding the blonde of her feelings for the boy with the mohawk. Tears stung her eyes without warning, and she quickly turned to leave the restaurant, hoping no one would notice. Kurt spotted her first, and he immediately left the table where he was seated with Mercedes and Quinn; he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug, casting a meaningful glance that Mercedes quickly picked up as the diva distress signal. Soon they were leading her off to some quiet corner of the restaurant, and she can see Quinn staring at her, which makes it all worse. Things were never quite right with the two of them, and Rachel didn't think they ever would be. She fought hard to dry her tears, and when they finally stopped, she was biting her lip hard, knowing that Mercedes and Kurt were going to want to know what was wrong; part of her didn't want them to know because she was so angry at herself.

"Rach…" Mercedes sat next to her, reaching an arm around her to pull her into a hug.

"I'm an idiot." Her voice was quiet, and she stared down at her fingers. "I did something stupid last night."

"Oh, honey, it can't be that bad. After all, what could you have done…" But Rachel was cutting Kurt off, new tears in her eyes.

"I had sex with Finn." The words fell out of her mouth quickly, and her cheeks went pink; her eyes closed slowly as she bit her lip, and she could tell that her friends were staring.

"You did what? Does this mean that you are back together?" Rachel shook her head slowly in response to Kurt's question. "Oh Rachel, honey. What happened?"

"It was storming, you know? And I have that stupid irrational fear of thunderstorms. So I sort of got into bed with him…"

"Diva did what now?" Mercedes tried to keep her voice down, but the shock in her eyes was enough to have Rachel reeling again.

"I was scared, 'Cedes, and he was there." She whispered her next words. "And then it just happened. He was there and so close and I missed him so much. I thought he was asleep, and I was just going to kiss him…"

"Rachel, sweetheart, I love you, but you're crazy." Kurt offered her a small smile. "Little Diva, are you telling me you were trying to take advantage of my sleeping brother?"

"N-no, nothing like that. I just wanted; well I just wanted one last kiss." She shook her head. "I know we can't be together because I know that it'll be just like last year. We were happy all summer, and then school rolled around. I can't do that again."

"Look Rach, I know Finn can be a little dense, but I think he learns from his mistakes." Mercedes held up a hand to prevent her from saying anything. "Don't bring _her_ into this, Rach. You know he isn't with her, and you know he's never going back to her again."

"It's not that. It's just that I don't know how many times I can let my heart get broken." The tears were back, and she hated it.

"Rachel, sweetie, listen to yourself." Kurt squeezed her hand.

"No, you listen. I gave everything I had, and it wasn't enough. I'll never be enough. I love him, but I'll never be enough." Her heart broke all over again. "I wish it were different, Kurt, but it's not. I can't do it again; I can't keep putting my heart out there so that it can get stomped on like that."

She sat in silence for a moment, steeling herself for breakfast because she knew that Finn would be arriving soon; she of all people knew how hungry he was most of the time. She dried her eyes and made her way back to the table with Kurt and Mercedes by her sides, and she glanced around the table, noticing that it was already filling up rather quickly.

He didn't try talking to her again at breakfast; she'd cried before, and he sure as hell wasn't going to make her cry again. The sun was bright, and it was completely clear, which meant that the girls were all stretching out to take in the sun; Santana was wearing this ridiculously tiny thing that barely covered anything, and Brittany was wearing something almost exactly the same except hers was blue instead of red. But all he could think about was that there was Rachel, sitting on a towel next to Kurt, a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and wearing this little pink bikini with black stars all over it; she was rubbing sunscreen on her legs, and god, he wanted to do that for her. But he couldn't, which was kind of stupid considering he'd done a lot more the night before. He just couldn't get it out of his head. She stretched out, relaxing on her back, and he saw it again, that tiny little gold star glittering in the sun.

"Dude, I still can't believe Santana convinced Berry to get pierced." Puck's voice carried across the silence; Finn was suddenly glad that most everyone had headphones on or was involved in some intense conversation. "It's kind of hot."

"Don't talk about her like that." Finn found himself hissing as he seated himself next to his best friend.

"What? The fact that she got it pierced means she wants someone to see, and that's sexy. You're just pissed because you are just now seeing it."

"Not true… I saw it last night when we…" The words slipped out without warning, and he felt like he was betraying her by revealing it.

"You did what?" Puck raised an eyebrow, nudging him hard in the ribs. "You fucked Berry last night; I thought you two were on the outs still. Way to score."

"It's not like that Puckerman; it can't be like that with her." For the first time in months, he really wants to punch his best friend. "Rachel's different. She sees things differently."

"I know that, Stretch. Damn, I've known Berry since we were like five." He'd forgotten that Puck had known her for so long. "But you did get laid last night, didn't you?"

"Shut up, Puck." He buried his face in his hands. "She left this morning. She totally freaked and ran off."

"Were you that bad?" There was a loud splash as Puck fell into the water. "What the fuck, dude?"

"I'm not in the mood for this shit, man. I don't know what to do." He stared down at his friend. "I don't want her to hate me."

"Dude, I get that. There's a reason you two are in a cabin together, and it ain't just 'cause the rest of us want to get out mack on." Finn narrowed his eyes, irritated that they were plotting without his knowledge again. "Listen, you and Berry need to get your shit together already. Hell, if Q and me can work shit out, you and Berry can. Seriously, what's it gonna take?"

"I don't know, man. She won't even talk to me. I mean last night was… holy fuck man… but this morning she wouldn't even look at me."

"Seriously, Berry's weird."

"But I like that…" Another splash had Finn in the water

"Talk to her again."

He and Puck dragged themselves out of the water, and he found himself staring at Rachel again; she had rolled over, and his eyes grazed along the curve of her back. It had been mostly dark the night before and his vision had been blurred by his exhaustion; now he could see so much more. She was so damned beautiful, and yet she was still convinced that she had to compete with Quinn and the other Cheerios; he wished more than anything that he could show her that she didn't have to compete with anyone. She was constantly afraid that he'd choose Quinn, and of course, he couldn't blame her for that fear considering that he'd let her think that Quinn was his choice before.

"_You chose her, Finn, and I suppose I can't blame you." The sad resignation in her voice killed him._

"_Rachel, it's not like that."_

"_Please don't act like you expect me to believe that. I'm not blind. You've been seeing her in secret." Hiding things from Rachel was never a good idea, and he knew that. "I'm not angry, Finn. But you could've been honest with me."_

"_I didn't want to hurt you." She shook her head, and her eyes looked tired; had she been crying again because he never wanted her to cry._

"_If she's your choice, I will respect that." The weak smile she offered was almost painful to see. "But she won't ever believe in you like I do. She can't see you the way I see you. She'll expect you to settle for Lima and never leave. You're meant for so much more."_

"_Rachel…" She raised a hand to silence him._

"_She'll destroy you. Don't let her destroy you, Finn. Please don't let her crush your spark. You're meant for so much more than this town." He thought he saw tears in her eyes, though he voice remained calm; when she left the choir room, he sat there, staring after her._

She'd been right, as usual; he'd confronted Quinn about it, and she'd denied giving Rachel that impression. But he knew even before that, they were never going to last. People always acted like Rachel was the bossy and high maintenance one, but there were times when Quinn gave her a run for her money. She needed someone like Puck, someone who didn't put up with her shit and told it like it was; he wasn't that guy. Puck had big plans too, not that he'd tell anyone about his hopes of getting a football scholarship and going to college somewhere as far away as possible; he'd take Quinn with him the way Rachel talked about taking Finn. A sinking feeling filled him, and he suddenly wondered if it was too late for that. God, he hoped not; he had to talk to her and fix things. He just had to.

Avoiding Finn was getting harder; Rachel tried hiding, but he was always there. He kept cornering her and saying things like "About last night" and "we should talk"; she'd stammer through a reason why she needed to escape and then run in the opposite direction. That is until she found herself hiding in Santana's cabin. She didn't know how it happened, but there she sat, across from Santana, who was actually being nice to her. It seemed odd, but ever since New York and the piercing incident, they'd been almost friends. Finn had already discovered that her favorite place to hide was Kurt's cabin, and he was lurking outside when she tried to sneak in; that left few places to go.

"Wait, so you're telling me that you crawled into bed with Hudson last night?" The Latina laughed. "And then you had sex with him? But I thought you two weren't together."

"We aren't. That's the problem."

"Did he notice it? I told you it was sexy as hell."

"Santana… is that what you are taking out of this? That Finn saw the star?" This is why she didn't go to Santana for advice; she launched a pillow in her direction.

"Ok, Berry, I get it. You aren't the 'sex without feelings' kind of girl, and you've got _feelings_ for Finn." Rachel nodded slowly. "So why the hell don't you just talk to him? You gonna keep running because you know he'll eventually find you."

"I know that. It's just I don't know how to have that talk, and besides, I don't think we're getting back together. So the feelings don't matter."

"False!"

"Hudson is so hung up on you that he forgets to eat; seriously while we were eating lunch, all he did was stare at you. And you know that the boy loves to eat."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point, Berry? Damn girl, you gonna sit around feeling sorry for yourself forever? How stupid can you get?"

"Hey!" Rachel frowned. "You don't understand, but then again, how could you possibly understand what I'm going through?"

"What?"

"Let's face it, Santana; I'll always be bad for his social status. And that's always going to be important to him."

"You could've had status, Berry. And don't give me that look because yes, I know about it. I saw the tryout video when Quinn and I were cleaning up coach's office." Santana laughed. "Funny, you probably would've been one hell of a Cheerio, but you let Quinn scare you off."

"Doesn't matter, I'm glad I didn't stay. Besides, if Finn chose me because I was a Cheerio, it wouldn't be the same."

"My point exactly! I don't know why I care, Berry, except that you are so boring when you mope around and you are less annoying when you are in a good mood. But damn girl, I've never seen you give up that easily. Since when it is easier to convince you to get your belly button pierced than it is to get you to get back together with Finn?"

"First, I still can't believe that you had a fake ID ready for me to use, and you got me slightly drunk beforehand. Second, there's no convincing, it's just that I'm not going to go through last year again. I learned my lesson."

"I'm going to go ahead and call bullshit on that one. Face it Berry, you want him as much as he wants you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be climbing into bed with him. You don't do casual sex. You do _feelings_, and I know you have them for him."

Why did Santana have to be right? Why did she actually have to be right this time? Part of her wished that she'd just made snide comments about her giving it up to Finn, but instead she just had to say those things. Rachel felt like crying again, but she sure as hell wouldn't cry in front of Santana. So instead the conversation turned to how impressed Santana was with the fact that Rachel seemed to dress less like a Cabbage Patch Doll this summer, and they talked like people who hadn't constantly hated each other for years. Briefly, Rachel wondered what it would be like when they returned to school; Santana, like Quinn, had already made it clear that given the opportunity she'd go back to being a Cheerio, and Rachel couldn't help but assume that any friendship that had formed between them would disappear. After all, summer was a different world, where no one told them who they should be friends with and who they had to hate.

It was getting dark, and he hadn't seen Rachel in two hours; he'd tried to talk to her after they met for supper, but she'd taken off toward the cabins the moment she'd finished eating her dessert. He hated that she avoided him like she was afraid, and he hated that she wouldn't even look at him. She'd even gone to Santana's cabin to avoid him, or so Brittney said at the restaurant. But he'd seen her head toward Kurt's cabin, meaning maybe, just maybe he'd catch her before she could lock herself away again.

"Come on, Kurt, you're my brother. If she's in there you've got to tell me." He was not proud of the fact that he was whining.

"She's not. And even if she was in my cabin, I am in no way obligated to tell you or let you see her when clearly she doesn't want to see you." He didn't understand how Kurt could be so calm about this, but then it dawn on him; Kurt _knew_.

"I have to talk to her."

"If this is about last night, Finn… and don't give me that look, I'm her best friend and I know everything." Kurt shook his head. "She's not ready to talk about it. I know it's a big deal, and it's hard for you to understand. But she's all mixed up about it, and she doesn't need you to confuse the matter further."

"She's mixed up about it? Hell, Kurt, how do you think I feel?" He tried to keep the edge out of his voice, but it was there anyway. "She got into my bed last night, and then we… and now she won't even talk to me. I love her, damn it, and I need her to know that. "

"You are my brother, and I love you. But you are not going to get through to her that way. She's upset, Finn. She thinks that she made a mistake last night because you two aren't together."

"But we could be together, and it was _not_ a mistake."

"Look, I don't actually want to discuss what happened last night beyond the knowledge that it happened because you are my brother and she is my best friend." Kurt bit his lip. "But she's confused and more than a little upset. She's embarrassed, and she thinks she made a huge mistake."

"I don't get it. I just don't understand." Finn really didn't; it was far too complicated, and he just didn't understand why it had to be.

Thirty minutes later he found himself talking to a locked door; well, he was trying to talk to Rachel, but she had locked herself in her room and was refusing to talk to him. This was getting ridiculous, and he was fighting hard not to lose his temper. But he wasn't angry with her, even though he wanted to be; he was angry with himself for ever letting her go, and he was angry with himself for ever letting it get this far. Sure they were broken, but that didn't mean they couldn't be put back together again; they didn't have to be broken forever. There were so many things that he wanted to tell her, and he for months he'd been trying to come up with a way to explain things to her. But the one person he would've asked for help was the one person had trouble talking to, how unfair was that? Finally he sank to the floor, his back against the door, and he let out a sigh.

"Go away, Finn. I _can't_ do this right now." Her back was against the door, a mirror image of his position. "I just can't."

"Rachel Berry doesn't know what that even means. The Rachel I know has never said can't in her life." He stated the fact firmly, as if there was no denying it. "But fine, if you don't want to talk to me, then don't. But I've got some things to say to you, Rach, and I'm going to say them. You may not want to listen, but I need you to hear me."

There was silence in the other room, and for a moment Finn sat there, listening for the sound of her breathing. He needed some kind of proof that she was still there at that she could hear him. He couldn't hear anything at first, and then suddenly he heard what sounded like her fist hitting the door, like a signal for him to start talking.

"I don't even know how to say any of this. I'm not good with words unless I'm singing; words were always your thing, not mine. So yeah…" His voice faded off for a moment, and he felt like an idiot; he didn't even know what to say. "Last night something happened that I never thought would, and now that it has, I don't want to let it go. I can't let it go. We were together last night, Rachel; I mean, really together. And it was the most amazing thing I'd ever felt. And this morning, I woke up, and you were gone. That really sucked because you weren't in my arms when I opened my eyes, and I realized how much I missed you."

Rachel pulled in a shaky breath, the tears already stinging her eyes again; she quickly tried to wipe them away, but the more she fought them the worse it got. She tried desperately to keep quiet so that he wouldn't know she was crying again. She turned to face the door, though she wasn't sure why; briefly her hand reached for the doorknob, but it dropped when he started to speak again.

"We're broken, Rach, and I don't want us to be broken anymore. What you did really killed me because I love you and I trust you; I never in a million years thought that you could hurt me like that. It broke me, and it broke us. All I could feel was how much it hurt, and for a long time I did everything I could to get away from it. I ran, and I used anything to distract me from how I felt. I don't want to run away anymore, Rachel. Because I realized that I shouldn't be running away from you or from us. What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Rachel, and last night was like some kind of miracle because for the first time in what seems like forever, we were _together_. I need you to know that. I need you to know that I can't stand that we're still broken. And I'm saying all this even though you probably aren't even by the door anymore because if I don't I'm going to explode. _I love you, _and I'm always gonna love you."

On the other side of the door, as he was standing up to leave her alone, Rachel pressed her palms to the door, her forehead resting on the cool smooth surface. She whispered 'I love you too', though she knew he couldn't hear her. Tears slid down her cheeks as she stood; the urge to fling open the door and chase after him was overwhelming, but instead she moved to dig through her bag to find an oversized sweatshirt clearly too big to belong to her. She inhaled deeply as she buried her face in the fabric, remembering the night he gave it to her because she looked cold while they were watching a football game he'd begged her to watch with him. She changed into a tank top and pair of shorts, then pulled the sweatshirt over her head and curled up in her bed, letting the tears fall as she tried to sleep. And just a few feet away, Finn flung himself onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow and trying not to wonder whether Rachel had even heard everything that he said.


	3. Chapter 3

Neither spoke the next morning; they dressed in silence and left the cabin separately. Finn left first, making his way to breakfast slowly, hoping that maybe she'd come out of the cabin and catch up with him, but he was just sure that she wouldn't. Everything inside him screamed that he had to keep fighting for her, but he was starting to worry that it was a lost cause. Rachel stepped out onto the porch just in time to see him head down the path to breakfast, and part of her wanted to chase after him and throw her arms around him and say she loved him so much it hurt. But instead she stood there, watching him walk away, half afraid that if she kept letting him walk away one day he wouldn't come walking back. How could they be so broken when they loved each other so much?

It seemed like the day dragged, and he wished he could do something about it. They hadn't spoken all day, and he wanted so desperately to just talk to her; it felt like she was avoiding him, and now, as he watched her laughing at the edge of the lake while Puck threatened to toss her into the water, he felt like he'd wasted a great deal of time. It could be him scooping her up and carrying her deeper into the water while she shrieked and giggled. Maybe she hadn't missed him as much as he missed her after all. But then he caught sight of her staring at him, and he wondered what she was thinking. She offered him a weak smile, and though he was pretty sure he shouldn't, he felt a sudden surge of hope. Rachel waved at him in the distance, beckoning him to join the fun, and he raced out just in time to see Puck toss her out into the water. She came up with a splash, drenching Finn, and he reveled in the way she laughed and seemed so free from worries.

It was two in the afternoon, and Rachel was soaking up the sun by the lake, talking with Mercedes and Tina about how much she was going to miss the summer. They'd forgotten all about lunch it seemed, and Kurt brought her a strawberry banana smoothie from the restaurant; she thanked him quietly and stretched out on her towel again, the conversation turning to the idea they'd discussed at breakfast. She could hear Finn's voice from across the way, talking to Mike and Noah about football tryouts, and she swallowed hard; things would go back to the way they were the minute they returned to McKinley, and that was why she was losing. Quinn stepped into view, taking a seat on Noah's lap, and she wished that she could be curled up in Finn's lap, the way she used to when they were curled up watching movies or listening to music.

They had to leave the next morning, and no one wanted to go; Kurt and Rachel had come up with this idea at breakfast that they should make tonight a big deal because it was their last night. It was nice to see Rachel so excited about something, and he was thrilled when she suggested that he come with them on the shopping trip. Kurt backed out of the shopping trip at the last minute, claiming that he and Blaine were going to set things up for the evening. They suspected this was some sort of scheme to force them to spend time together, especially since everyone seemed to have a reason they couldn't do the shopping. So Finn found himself pushing a grocery cart behind Rachel as she went down a list, murmuring quietly to herself; he watched in silence as she reached for a box of graham crackers that were clearly too high in the shelf for her to grab before finally reaching out to help.

"Let me get those, Rach. How many boxes do you want?" He touched her arm, and, for the first time since the storm, she didn't pull away.

"Two boxes should be enough, but grab a third, please. I don't want to run out." She offered him a smile as he handed her the boxes. "Thank you for coming with me."

"Not a big deal." He smiled back, resisting the urge to pull her close and hug her tight. "You sure three boxes will be enough? Puck will eat a ton."

"Noah does eat a lot." She bit her lip, looking up at him for a moment before turning back to her list. "I guess we should get another box then."

"Rach…" She didn't look back at him, too afraid that the moment she did her resolve would fail.

When she didn't respond, he let out a sigh and tossed another box into the cart; why did it have to be so difficult? She kept doing that thing where she glanced over her shoulder and bit her lip like she had something she wanted to say but couldn't make herself say. Sometimes he wished he could see inside her mind, but he was pretty sure that it was full of set lists for future competitions, musicals, and Barbra Streisand. A part of him hoped that somewhere in there were thoughts of them together and thoughts of him. But maybe that was too much to ask. Rachel moved to the next aisle, and he had to pick up his pace to catch up with her. He found her standing next to the marshmallows, holding a bag in her hand, and, when he pushed the cart beside her, she tossed the bag into it with a sigh.

"I know we're broken." The words were a whisper, and she didn't look at him. "I'm just afraid we'll always be broken."

"Rach, you can't mean that." Her words stung, echoing with a kind of finality that made his heart ache. "We've got a shot."

"A shot at what, Finn? A shot at what we had last year?" Her voice was calm and even, and the way it took so much to make her raise her voice or get angry amazed him.

"I thought what we had was pretty good, Rachel; we were happy."

"We were happy all summer, Finn, and then school rolled around." He didn't understand, and he hated it. "Think about it. It all got complicated, and in the end we both got hurt. I don't want that again. Things are easy now, Finn, but they don't stay easy."

"I don't give a damn about easy." Rachel narrowed her eyes at the swear word, but he didn't care. "Rach, can't you see?"

"Don't do this Finn. I don't think you understand." She still wasn't looking at him. "For six months we pushed and pulled and messed everything up; don't you think that says something? Maybe we don't fit."

She fell silent, picking up two more bags of marshmallows and tossing them into the cart; tears stung her eyes, and she bit her lip hard to prevent herself from sniffling too loudly. There it was, out there in the open; she'd finally said what scared her the most. They'd both been so insecure that they'd fallen apart, and she was afraid that maybe they were always going to fall apart. It wasn't that she didn't want to be with him; she was just so tired of hurting. How many times can one girl put her heart on the line just to get it broken? She loved him so much that it hurt, and she wanted to tell him.

"That's not true, you know." He reached out to touch her shoulder, and she pulled away. "We fit; we belong together. Didn't you feel it? The other night, didn't you feel it?"

"That was a mistake, Finn. I shouldn't have come to your room, and I should not have been in your bed."

"It _wasn't_ a mistake, Rachel." His hand made contact with her shoulder, turning her to face him. "You and I being together like that; it could _never_ be a mistake. Look at me, Rach. Look me in the eye and tell me you really believe that it was a mistake. Tell me you honestly didn't feel the way we belong together."

"Finn, don't." The words were shaky, and he felt a pang of guilt.

"You can't tell me it was a mistake, Rachel, and you can't say we don't fit." He was pretty sure he had reached the point of pleading with the tiny young woman standing in front of him.

"Stop it." He was right, and she hated it; how was she supposed to be strong when he was so right all the time?

She threw the marshmallow bag in her hands at him, and it smacked into his chest because he was too busy staring at the way her lip quivered to bother blocking it; he was definitely the king of saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. He could see the tears welling in her dark eyes, and it killed him; she seemed to vulnerable right now, and he felt like he was only making it worse. All he really wanted to do was pull her close and hold her tight, but that was out of the question right now; he was sure that if he tried it would only make her angry. She bit her lip hard, turning and walking away down the aisle as quickly as possible; he was torn between running after her and kicking over the stack of boxes standing next to him. Rachel was hurting, and he was hurting her, even if it was unintentional; he was the biggest asshole on the planet. He looked up, and she was gone; he knew that she couldn't have left the store, since they'd taken his truck, but he had no idea where in the store she'd be hiding.

She was so sick of fighting it; she loved him so much, and she wanted to be with him. Everything was just so broken, and she didn't know how to put the pieces together again. Standing next to the packages of chocolate bars, Rachel fought the urge to sink down to the floor and just cry. Santana had been right, and that morning the Latina reminded her of her feelings as they soaked up the morning sun; she'd been caught staring at Finn again, and Santana had absently mentioned that she really should be with him, since _"No one makes Finnocence smile the way she did"_. Suddenly the tears started falling, and she wiped her eyes quickly. She was not going to cry in the middle of the grocery store.

"Rach, I'm sorry." Finn's voice startled her, and she bit her lip to keep from crying. "Rachel, I'm so so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up here."

"It's alright." She swallowed her tears, determined not to cry anymore in front of him. "Let's just finish the shopping and get back."

"Rach, can we talk about this though?" His voice was soft. "Not here, I mean."

"Finn, I…" Her voice seemed to be leaving her, and she bit her lip.

"Please." The word fell from his lips in a whisper, and she nodded slowly, not sure why.

She silently put several packages of chocolate bars into the cart, blinking furiously to prevent the tears from falling. Rachel had never felt so torn and mixed up, and it felt like her brain and her heart were going to overload. Sometimes she wondered if it was worth it, any of it; was loving someone so much really worth it when it hurt so much? She could feel him watching her, and she almost wished he'd just stop; a small sigh left her lips, and she went back to the list in her hand, checking off the things in the cart. He didn't mean to stare, but staring at her had become second nature, a habit he just couldn't break; he stared because she was beautiful, inside and out, and he stared because half of loving Rachel Berry was just watching her. He stared right now because he wanted to figure out what to do. He kept hoping something would give him a clue as to how to fix this mess. Rachel was now shopping in silence, only speaking if she needed to ask him something about the list.

They left the store in an awkward silence, and he offered to carry all the grocery bags; she let him, though she could do it herself, and she followed him to the truck slowly, unable to come up with more to say than thank you for the help. The ride back to the cabins was awkward, and he kept looking over at her in hopes that she would say something to break the silence; instead, she kept looking down at her hands in her lap, shifting nervously in the seat. Every now and then she would whisper something or mutter under her breath, but nothing he could actually hear. Once, when they were stopped at a red light, he thought he heard her say she loved him, but that was probably just wishful thinking.

The smell of cooking meat still turned her stomach, but she powered through it because she was really the only vegetarian in their little group; while there were tofu burgers as well, she eventually had to give up manning the grill to Puck, who wrinkled his nose at what he called the "freaky fake meat", and she wandered off to think. The sun was setting over the lake, and the small fire they'd gotten permission to build crackled quietly behind her; it was all so perfect, except for the one missing element. When they'd arrived back at the cabins, Finn had helped her unload their purchases, and the he'd vanished; she assumed he went back to their cabin, but when she checked he was nowhere to be found. Kurt told her he'd helped with the fire, but, as soon as it was lit and things were going, he was gone again. Rachel found herself worrying.

Hiding was immature and girly and so was crying, he kept telling himself, but he just didn't know what else to do. He was losing her, and while he was sure that life was supposed to go on even if you break up with someone, he felt like his was ending. He kept thinking about what she'd said in the store; had it really been so bad when school started back last year? Suddenly it hit him. He'd stood up for her once or twice, told her that he believed in her, but sometimes he did really stupid things. Like telling her that Santana was right about the way she dressed and not defending her in front of everyone in glee when they ganged up on her for the millionth time. Worst of all, he lied to her, and that was probably the thing he regretted the most. If he got the chance, he'd make it all up to her, but it felt like she was never going to give him that chance. He knew he should join the party, but without Rachel in his arms where she belonged, the fire seemed cold and everything seemed wrong.

"Finn." When she found him sitting alone on the pier, she couldn't help but feel like it was her fault that he was by himself; she called his name again. "Finn!"

"Rach?" He didn't turn around so she couldn't see the tears in his eyes; instead he kept watching the water, as if it would give him some kind of answer.

"What are you doing? Kurt and I went to all that trouble to plan this, and you are sitting out here." She whispered. "What's wrong?"

"I _can't_ lose you, Rachel." After a silence that felt like it lasted forever, he blurted the words out without thinking. "I can't lose you."

"Finn, don't. I'm not going anywhere." She felt the tears stinging her eyes, and inwardly she cursed her weakness.

"You _know_ what I mean." He glanced over his shoulder, and she could've sworn it looked like he'd been crying. "I can't lose you, Rach, and I can't lose _us_; I can't just be friends with you. I tried, and it doesn't work. I don't work without you. I tried to be 'Puck' for awhile because he doesn't get hurt, and he lives without you. That didn't work at all. Don't you get it, Rachel? I _need _you."

"Finn," her voice cracked.

"I love you Rachel, and I know you love me." She couldn't stand the way his voice was shaking, especially because she was pretty sure it was shaking because of her. "Please don't give up on us."

"I haven't given up, Finn." She whispered, taking a few steps forward. "I love you."

"Then why?"

"Because I can't hurt like this forever. I can't keep trying for something that just doesn't seem to work." The tears returned, and she hated it. "I want it to work, Finn; I miss you, and I miss us. But it seems like every time we try, something just messes it up again."

"Rach, we _can_ make it work; I promise you." He finally stood up, turning to face her; the tears in her eyes killed him, and he couldn't resist pulling her to him and wrapping her in his arms. "I'll do anything to make it work, Rachel. It has to work."

"Why? Why does it have to work?" She didn't pull away, and he thought it was a miracle.

"I need you, Rachel. I need us. I'm so in love with you that you are the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about when I fall asleep; even when I was mad at you, you were all I thought about." He held her tightly, and he could feel her tears dampening his shirt. "I'm not me when I don't have you; you bring out the best in me. Without you, I'm all lost. You are my other half, Rachel; we belong together, and if I lose you, I'll be lost again. I don't want to be lost, Rach; I need you to find me."

"All I want is for you to be happy, Finn. All I've ever wanted for you is to be happy." Her voice was muffled by his chest.

"I was happy, Rach; with you, I was the happiest I've ever been, and without you, I'm just not." He pressed his lips to her hair, unwilling to let her go. "You make me happy, Rach, and I'll do anything, anything at all, to make you happy. Just come back. Please come back."

"I never left, Finn." She pulled back, teary eyes meeting his. "You sent me away, and I respected your space. But I never really left."

"Then stay, Rach. Please just stay." He bit his lip. "I need you to stay. I'll do anything, Rach, and I'll go anywhere; just be with me again."

"Finn…" She whispered his name, and he pulled her to him, wrapping her small body in his arms; her small hands gripped his shirt, as if she was afraid to let go.

"Don't cry, baby. Please don't cry." He leaned down, his lips pressed to her forehead. "It's going to be ok, Rach; we're going to be ok. I promise."

The fire was slowly dying, and he held her close, whispering 'I love you' in her ear; Puck had been throwing marshmallows at him from across the fire, at least until Quinn protested the waste, and when Rachel agreed, playfully stuffing a marshmallow in his mouth, he couldn't help but smile. It was the first time he'd seen her laughing and smiling with Quinn, and he's pretty sure that when the summer ended so would the tentative peace that's fallen over the club. Santana, Brittany, and Quinn are planning to return to cheering, and he can't blame them for going back to it. But tonight, this summer, everything was perfect; tonight they were a family, and they laughed and smiled together. He was still sort of in awe of the way she and Kurt put the night together. Rachel shivered in his arms, and he pulled her closer; he stuffed one more s'more into his mouth, ignoring the petite brunette in his lap as she rolled her eyes at him. He couldn't help but laugh at the way some things never change.

"The caretaker just came by, and apparently it's time to put the fire out." Kurt's voice filled the quiet air, and Rachel looked up at him with a half smile from her seat in Finn's lap.

"You don't think he'd give us a few more minutes?" It seemed silly to beg for more time, but she didn't want it to end just yet.

"I tried to get him to argue for a little more time, Shorty, but he wouldn't do it." Blaine laughed, gently nudging his boyfriend.

"I just hate that this is ending. This weekend is almost over, and summer is going to end soon too." She pouted, burying her face in Finn's chest.

"Come on, Rach, it's not like its then end of anything except a nice trip." He pressed his lips to the top of her hair. "We'll still have this when we leave. We'll still be friends, and we'll still have each other."

"I know." She whispered as she slid out of his lap to help with the clean up, and Finn stood to help Blaine and Puck put out the fire and move the grill back to where it belonged.

Twenty minutes later, Finn turned around to see Puck scooping Quinn up and carrying her over his shoulder toward their cabin, and he gave Rachel a wink. She smiled and blushed, but he could tell that she kind of thought it was sort of cute; they'd been an affectionate couple before, and they'd never been afraid to be touchy-feely. But they hadn't been like Quinn and Puck were, perhaps because when they were together before he was still insecure and wounded and she was still concerned that she wasn't pretty enough or popular enough for him. It seemed that when you are consumed by insecurities it's hard to enjoy being together, but this time it would be different. This time he'd tell her every chance he got that she was beautiful and that he loved her; this time he'd let everyone know just how proud he was to be with her. She promised herself she wouldn't worry about not being popular enough this time, and she wouldn't let the doubters bother her. This time things would be better for both of them.

"Rach…" He caught her from behind, sweeping her up in his arms. "Everything's all picked up and cleaned, babe. You ready to go back to the cabin?"

"I'm ready when you are." She was smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Why the sudden urge to carry me around?"

"I just thought that maybe you'd like to not have to walk back the cabin. I can put you back on the ground if you want though." She shook her head, and a wide grin spread across his face. "It's going to be different this time, Rach, I promise. This time it'll be better."

"I know, baby." She buried her face in his neck, and he carefully began carrying her toward their cabin. "I love you."

He felt a sudden swell of pride as he gently held her against his chest; she was his girl again, though she'd insisted that she'd always been his girl. Holding her in his arms made him feel complete again, and he didn't give a damn if that was girly. She'd missed him so much, and she closed her eyes as he carried her back to the cabin, her fingers lightly trailing over his neck while her head rested on his shoulder. As he held her in his arms, he couldn't help but think about how tiny she felt and how desperate he always felt to protect her. He knew full well that she didn't feel the need to be protected; most of the time she declared that she was just fine on her own, but he felt as if it was his job to look after her, to take care of her and keep her safe. He was pretty sure that he'd failed at that job for a little while, but he wasn't going to fail her again.

"Rach, about the other night…" He whispered as they lay on the bed in the dimly lit bedroom, talking about how things that went wrong the last time they dated and how they were going to make it right this time.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, her cheeks tinged pink. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation."

"Don't be; I could've stopped you, but I didn't." He laughed softly; the idea of Rachel taking advantage of him was sort of funny. "Rach, you didn't take advantage of me. Nothing happened that night that I hadn't been dreaming about for months."

"Really?" Her blush deepened as she sat up slowly. "You dreamed about it?"

"Yeah, more often that I probably should have." He bit his lip, waiting for her to freak out and pull away, but instead she leaned in to kiss him gently.

"I dreamed about it too." She whispered the confession, and he swallowed, suddenly concerned that he hadn't lived up to whatever dream she had; he sat up slowly, pulling her into his lap.

"Is that so?" He gently brushed a chunk of her dark hair from her face with a soft smile. "I hope that I, um, y'know, lived up to… I mean, I hope I didn't disappoint you."

"You couldn't." She smiled, pressing her lips to his gently. "You couldn't disappoint me, Finn."

He swallowed, pulling her close to his chest as she kissed him again, and he felt her slender fingers tracing his jaw line slowly. She turned in his lap, moving so that she was facing him and her legs were slightly wrapped around his waist; her tongue gently grazed his bottom lip, and he granted it entrance, reveling in the taste of her against his tongue. His eyes fell closed, moaning gently at the feeling of her fingers lacing through his hair; when they separated, his eyes opened slowly, meeting hers, and it was like she was looking into his heart and soul. Sometimes he wondered what she saw when she looked at him like that. Her hips rocked as he pressed a soft kiss to her neck, and he wasn't sure who groaned the loudest, him or her; pleased with her reaction, he peppered her neck and bare shoulders with kisses, glad that she'd worn a tank top. She let out a soft whimper, her hands stroking down his chest, and he let his hands gently run along her sides, fingers coming temptingly close to her breasts. He ached to touch her again, but he didn't want to push her too far, not when they had just gotten back together.

She let out a soft moan, recalling the way he touched her before, and she pressed herself closer to him; Rachel felt her body tremble slightly, and she captured his lips in a soft kiss as his hands slid up along her sides, pulling his bottom lip into her mouth. Her eyes fell closed, and she sucked gently before releasing it, her hands sliding down his chest; when his hands paused just below her breasts, she fought the urge to bring them higher, the craving for his touch almost overwhelming her. His tongue gently parted her lips, slowly exploring her mouth, and she felt his hips rock upward slightly, drawing a moan from her lips. She felt her pulse quicken, and her breath hitched; his hands gently cupped her face, thumbs grazing her cheeks, and she let her eyes meet his again.

"Finn," she whispered his name. "Please, touch me."

"Rach, baby, are you sure?" He couldn't believe he was in this position again. "I don't want to rush you. I mean, I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything."

"Please." She took his hands in hers and guided them up her sides before letting them gently rest just below her breasts. "Touch me, Finn."

Biting his lip, he let his hands drift higher, cupping her breasts gently and letting his thumbs grazed the exposed skin just above her tank top; the memory of her soft skin against his palms was enough to cause him to harden beneath her. She arched slightly, pressing herself into his hands, and she let out a soft whimper. Taking it as encouragement, he gently caressed her for a moment before hooking the hem of her tank top; his eyes meeting hers, he silently sought permission to remove it, and when she nodded, he gently tugged it up and over her head before unfastening her bra and letting it fall off her shoulders. His eyes traveled over her exposed skin, watching as the deep blush traveled from her cheeks to her neck and chest, and he couldn't contain the soft groan of desire that escaped his lips. In a single motion, he swept her into his arms, maneuvering her so that she was on the bed, her dark hair splayed across the pillows, and he kissed down her neck and shoulder, pausing to nip gently at her collarbone and cause her to gasp.

"God, you're so beautiful. Rachel, do you realize how beautiful you are?" He whispered, as his need for her growing with every passing moment. "Let me show you how beautiful you are, baby."

Her body was alive with sensation. His kisses traveled lower, peppering the tops of her breasts as his fingers trailed over her soft skin, raising goose bumps; her eyes fell closed slowly, and small moans left her lips. Rachel let out a gasp as his lips captured her nipple, causing it to pebble against his tongue, and she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. His thumb brushed her other nipple, flicking it gently before moving in slow circles while he lavished the nipple in his mouth with attention from his tongue; after a moment he switched, working her until she was writhing gently on the bed beneath him, whimpering his name. It felt so good, and she felt a sudden throbbing between her thighs, her arousal growing rapidly. Her trembling hands reached for his, pushing them down her body until they were at her waist, and she lifted her hips, silently begging for him to alleviate the powerful need that kept growing within her. She pushed his hands lower, slipping them beneath her skirt to her aching core and pressing them to the damp fabric of her panties; they moaned together at the evidence of her arousal.

A long finger pressed to her clit through her panties, rubbing in slow circles until she couldn't take it any longer, and she let out a loud moan; it was like music, filling his ears, and he was desperate to hear more. Slowly he tugged down her skirt and then her panties, his tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip as he stared at her for a moment, unable to tear his eyes away. He let his finger find her swollen bundle of nerves once more, continuing to work it as his lips began a slow trek down her flat stomach; his tongue flickered out to touch the tiny gold star at her navel, causing her to let out a soft giggle among the moans. He reached her hips, placing warm kisses on her hip bones, and his hands gently moved to part her thighs farther. His finger brushed her entrance, and she lifted her hips with a gasp.

"I've never…" His voice trailed off, a flush of pink on his cheeks. "I want to taste you, Rach."

He dipped between her thighs, letting his tongue gently run over her heated core, and a low moan rumbled in his throat at her taste. Her fingers gripped the sheets, and he licked her again and again, reveling in the way she moved her hips toward him; his lips brushed her swollen clit, and she let out a shuddering moan. Gaining confidence, he captured the tender nub with his lips, sucking gently at first until she was almost grinding herself against his mouth; he hardened almost painfully at her reactions, and eager to give her more, he plunged his tongue into her experimentally, a moan vibrating his lips as her taste flooded his mouth.

"Oh my god, Finn!" Rachel cried out in pleasure, her hips rocking against him, almost riding his tongue as it plunged into her over and over, and he curled it slightly, causing a moan to rip from her throat. "Yes, yes, yes…"

His hands slid beneath her, cupping her firm ass in both hands and pulling her to him; her hips rocked, and soon she was pretty much riding his face. It was like something he'd only seen on Skinemax, and he reveled in the way she was completely losing control and babbling nonsense. The petite young woman was so calm on the outside, and he felt like a god because he could cause her to lose herself. Suddenly he felt her slender fingers tangling in his hair, tugging gently, and he continued his oral assault on her trembling body as she tensed. He wondered if he could make her cum this way, and he focused his efforts on doing just that. His lips encircled her clit again, sucking harder this time, reveling in the soft mewling whimpers that eventually because full blown moans. Her body seemed to tense, her toes curling, and she gasped out his name. This was like nothing she'd ever felt before, and her trembling hands pressed him closer as his tongue suddenly plunged into her again. Her eyes fell closed, and she felt herself shattering around his tongue, orgasm overwhelming her; she could feel his movements become gentler as she rode out her climax, and her head fell back against the pillows.

"Finn…" She sighed his name as he kissed her softly, and she could taste herself on his lips.

Her hands shook as they moved swiftly to his waist, fumbling with the button and zipper of his shorts, and she closed her eyes as she pushed them off his waist; Finn backed off momentarily, pushing his shorts the rest of the way off, and when he climbed back on the bed, resting on his side beside her, he was caught by surprise as Rachel slid her hands down his chest. His eyes fell closed, a sudden moan escaping as her small hand cupped him, and he had to focus on anything but the feeling of her fingers moving against his erection to prevent himself from losing it right then and there. Her fingers slipped into his boxers, tentatively touching him, and he bucked into her small hand with a groan; she bit her lip, wrapping her fingers around him and stroking slowly, and he moaned louder than he meant to. Pulling in a breath, her eyes widened when he grabbed her wrist, and he swallowed hard. When he released her wrist, she hooked her fingers in the waist band of his boxers, tugging gently until they slid down his hips.

"Rach…" His voice was husky with need, but he fought for control, still concerned about rushing her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, biting her lip and moving to hover over him; her hands still shook slightly as she pulled his boxers the rest of the way off his hips. Her lips brushed his, and she let her finger tips glide over his chest; she felt his length brush against her core, drawing out a long moan from both of them, and she rocked her hips gently. He lifted his hips, letting his tip slip within her, and his eyes fell closed, a husky groan fell from his lips. Moaning his name softly, she let herself sink down on him, her fingers gripping his shoulders as he filled her completely. He sat up so his back rested on the headboard, Rachel straddling his lap. He moaned at the change in position; gravity bringing her down fully onto him. His hips rocked up into her, matching the way she rocked into him, and he let his hands roam her body. Rachel trembled, and his hand slipped between them, brushing by her clit ever so often while she moved on him. Her lips brushed his, and she kissed him slowly and softly, her slender fingers gently running through his hair. She moaned into the kiss again, her hips rocking with his, and she cried out his name.

He knew he couldn't last much longer, and every movement Rachel made sent him closer and closer to his peak. His arm wrapped around her holding her to his chest as his upward thrusts became almost erratic, and he allowed his hand to add more pressure to her sensitive nub. Teetering on the edge, she gasped out his name, her fingers lacing through his hair and tugging gently. Her body shuddered, each touch sending another jolt of pleasure through her. Her hands slid down his neck and shoulders. Her small frame trembled with her orgasm, and her lips pulled from his to moan out his name. He could feel her body tense, relax, and move uncontrollably all at the same time. It didn't take long for Finn to join her; feeling her tighten around him, and seeing her pleasure stricken face was enough to send him flying over the edge with her. Her name fell from his lips as he gave her all he had, his fingernails grazing her back slightly as his own orgasm flooded him.

"Finn, that was so…" Her voice faded out as she collapsed against him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I love you, Rachel; I love you so much." He pressed his lips to the top of her head, holding her to his chest.

"I love you too." Her voice was soft and sweet, and she offered him a slow smile.

She trembled in his arms, and after a long while their bodies untangled; Rachel curled up against him, his arms holding her close, and he smiled softly. He gently brushed her hair out of her face, pressing a kiss to her temple, and he felt her relax against his chest. She snuggled closer to him, feeling herself drifting off; his arms wrapped around her, and he closed his eyes. He finally let himself fall asleep with the knowledge that the storm had finally passed, and they were together again.


End file.
